High school football -- The Ravena football team practices on Tuesday Aug. 16, 2011 in Ravena, NY. The nearby LaFarge cement plant can be seen across Route 9W. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union)

High school football -- The Ravena football team practices on Tuesday Aug. 16, 2011 in Ravena, NY. The nearby LaFarge cement plant can be seen across Route 9W. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union)

Photo: Philip Kamrass

Greco fills major roles for Ravena

1 / 9

Back to Gallery

RAVENA -- Reaching the Section II Class B Super Bowl proved to be an unfulfilled journey for Ravena running back/linebacker Cameron Greco and the rest of the Indians as they watched Schalmont win and advance all the way to the state title game.

Several crucial members of Ravena's 2010 have departed through graduation, but the Indians also lost two- way starting quarterback Tyler Swart, who moved and is playing in Texas.

Even with those departures, Ravena coach Gary VanDerzee expects his squad to once again challenge for a championship. A huge reason why is Greco.

And it is hard to believe the Indians will not be in the mix after witnessing Greco's passion for football and his fervent desire to see his friends and teammates grow.

More Information

"He's out here pushing guys to improve," VanDerzee said.

"I have a lot put on my shoulders. I can handle it," Greco said.

"It's not all going to be me. We have a lot of people that need to step up. Everything is coming together. I'm always pushing everybody to work harder in the weight room and on the field -- to exceed their limits."

Ravena, the 2010 Reinfurt Division champions, featured Corey Watts and Daryl Ford handling the bulk of the rushing duties. Greco provided some quality performances as well out of the backfield.

This season, VanDerzee is counting on Greco to excel on offense, defense and as the team's true leader.

"He played very well for us last year. He was a key contributor," VanDerzee said. "Cam has great speed and worked very hard in the weight room to get stronger. He has great speed and quickness, with the ability to cut.

"Last year, he was the secondary runner. This year, he's the primary guy. Defensively, he's going to have to step up and play that outside 'backer' spot."

Greco believes his best attribute for the Indians this season has nothing to do with how many yards he rushes for or how many tackles he makes. The senior thinks it is his leadership that best optimizes what he brings to the mix for Ravena.

"He is a blue-collar kid who works extremely hard," VanDerzee said.

Capturing a classification with foes like Schalmont, Schuylerville, Cobleskill, Hudson Falls, Albany Academy and Hudson would be a tremendous accomplishment for Ravena, a squad that finished 8-2 in 2010.

"The Bs are going to be extremely competitive. That said, if we're not in the championship mix, I will be extremely disappointed," VanDerzee said.

"The Reinfurt Division is going to be tough and winning Class B won't be easy. Right now, we're just looking at Watertown in the first game," Greco said. "We're looking forward to the season and I expect to return to the Super Bowl."